Plate-lifting device



v. c. GRAVES.-

PLATE LlFTlNG DEVICE.

APPL |CATION FILED AUG-8| I919.

Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

VELMA C. GRAVES, OF YAKIIIIA, WASHINGTON.

PLATE-LIFTING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

Application filed August 8, 1919. Serial No. 316,133.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that VELMA G. Graves, a citizen of the United States, residing at Yakima, in the county of Yakima and State of lvashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Plate-Lifting Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to kitchen utensils, and more particularly to lifters for plates, pans and the like.

The obj ect of the invention is to provide a simple, efficient and cheaply constructed lifter, which may be used for lifting pies and the like from a hot oven without danger of burning the hands or arms and which may also be used for lifting articles outside the oven.

lVith the fore oing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment. of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The accompanying drawing represents a perspective view of this improved lifter shown open in full lines and closed in dotted lines.

. lhe lifter l constituting this invention is composed of two strands of heavy wire, one of which is rectilinear throughout a portion of its length to form a body member 2, and one element of ahandle 3, said ire being looped to form the other member of said handle. The member 3 of the handle is offset inwardly as shown at d and twisted around the member 2 at a point intermediately of its ends as shown at 5. This wire is then extended and bent to form a substantially U-shaped rigid jaw comprising a laterally extending leg 6 having an in curved portion 7 and an outwardly bowed portion 8. lhe wire is then extended in a plane substantially at right angles to the member 6 to form a cross bar 9 which merges at its outer end into a leg or arm 11 connected thereto by an outbowed portion 10, said leg 11 being similar to the leg 6 of the rigid jaw. The free end of leg 11 is bent to form an eye 12 through which passes the outer end of the member 2 and which is legs 6 and 11 of the rigid 141-.

In the use of this device, when it is desired to lift a culinary vessel such as a pie plate or the like, the jaw 15 is swung to an open position and engaged under the flange of the vessel to be lifted. The user then turns the handle 8 in a direction away from the movable jaw, thus moving the rigid jaw l l into clamping engagement with the opposite diametric point of the flange of the VGSSL-l to be lifted. It will thus be seen that by this operation, a firm gripping action of the jaws with the vessel is obtained.

The device is entremely simple in construction and the looped handle, while affording a reliable grip on the device, also provides means for suspending the article from a nail or other suitable support.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the advantages of the construction and of the method of operation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains and while I have described the principle of operation of the invention together with the device which I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the device shown is merely illustrative and that such changes may be made as are within the scope of the claimed luv" 'fiou.

Having thus full descrived my .nveit tion, what I claim as new and desire o secure by Letters Patent, is

A lifter of the class described composed of two strands of heavy wire, on of which is rectilinear throughout the greater portion of its len th to form a single strand bol'ly and one member of a handle loop, said meniber and body being in longitudinal alinement, said strand being bent at the outer end of said handle member and extended inwardly and spaced laterally from the first mentioned handle member to form the other handle member, said strand being wrapped around the inner end of the first mentioned handle member and bent to form a laterally extending U-shaped jaw at one side of said body, the legs of said jaw being bowed out wardly adjacent the cross-bar of the jaw,

the front leg of said jaw having an eyeencircling the front end of said body; the other strand being in the form of a U-shaped jaw having eyes at free ends of its legs hingedly engaged with said body adj acent' the inner sides of the legs of the other j aw, and its legs bowed outwardly adjacent its crossrbalz In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

VELMA C. GRAVES.

Witnesses:

DOROTHY JACOBS, GUY O. SHUMATE. 

